High hopes for new members of human rights body

JAKARTA (JP): Political observers Arbi Sanit and Ramlan Surbakti are optimistic about the four new members of the National Commission on Human Rights.

Interviewed separately yesterday, they said the new members have the kind of personality that the commission needs to maintain its independence.

Arbi, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said that the biggest challenge facing the commission is holding on to its independence and objectivity.

"The commission has won public acclaim for its objectivity and become a respected democratic institution, both at home and abroad," Arbi said.

The commission Friday elected psychologist Saparinah Sadli, retired police Maj. Gen. Koesparmono Irsan, former legislator from the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction Maj. Gen. (ret.) Samsudin, and former secretary-general of the Ministry of Justice Mohammad Salim to replace members who died or resigned.

"We will see if the new members from the Armed Forces and bureaucracy will be able to resist external pressures and remain independent," he said.

Arbi added that the government appears to have put security and economic development above increasing public demand for democracy. The condition has led the government to take more stringent measures in its effort to control the demands, he said, citing as an example the way government critics are branded as communists.

Arbi also noted that the authorities resort more frequently to violence when evicting residents to make way for development projects.

"They think that such harsh measures are justified. The inability of government officials to comprehend complex problems has put the bureaucracy on the defensive," he said.

This condition has helped bolster the public's hope that the commission will play a larger role in defending the oppressed, he said.

Ramlan, a lecturer at Surabaya's Airlangga University, pointed out that the government's overemphasis on political stability has led to widespread violations of human rights.

According to Ramlan, many violations involve government policies on development and security and are therefore "structural" in nature.

Ramlan said land disputes are the most common case of a "structural" rights violation that the commission receives.

The commission said this year that it has received 3,413 letters, 1,742 of which dealt with forced land appropriations, house demolitions, labor disputes, and mistreatment by government officials. Over the past 11 months, it has helped investigate and solve 1,450 cases, a 67 percent increase from last year's 867 cases.

Judging from all the new members' backgrounds, Ramlan said he was sure that they will be able to work effectively in dealing with structural problems. (08)